Russian Orloffs

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That's one of the things I'm thinking of. If I can keep the two strains going AND use some of each to "blend" then if the pairing doesn't turn out well I'd be able to try a diffent track with the same original strains. The darker ones I can never get more of as the breeder completly sold out his breeders and my chicks were the last of them.
I feel like the one with the partridge lacing on the neck needs to be culled out, but I'm thinking most of the others might could be used in some type of breeding program.
One thing I know I've got to work on is they all need a more upright carriage.
Gonna be a long roadI'm afraid.
 
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Or you could ship a couple hens my way hehe.

I don't plan on selling any Orloffs for at least several years, I tend to be very picky about selling a bird I don't like the looks of myself. I would be happy to trade or outright give away any decent birds I don't use for my own breeding program to serious breeders who are trying like myself to save these and breed them back to a standard. (Any birds with serious faults I usualy donate to the family dinner table) I don't ship, but if you are ever in my neck of the woods, give me a holler and see what I've got.
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My two hens have not layed an egg now in about 7 months. What is up with that? I'd like to get a roo for them but if they are not going to lay eggs what is the point? I'm quite attached to them and don't want to cull them, but I'd better get some eggs from them soon. They hatched chicks for me so I wouldn't mind if they would go broody again, but I doubt they will if they haven't been laying.
 
In May they will be two. Last spring they went broody. I waited a couple MONTHS before giving in and giving them eggs. They sat on their nests together and hatched out their chicks together. They still hang out with those chicks even though the pullets are full sized just about now.

They actually layed really well their whole first year. I had heard they were poor layers and wondered what people were talking about, they even layed in the dead of winter last year when no one did.
But since they went broody, no eggs whatsoever. Unless they started eating them, but I highly doubt it. They seemed to treasure eggs more than most chickens.

I have not had the heart to separate them from their "chicks". They were always outcast and picked on before and now they have their own little group. The "chicks" also have low status in the group and being with the orloff hens helps them. But I would like for them to start laying eggs again and was thinking about putting them in a coop by themselves and a couple of my low ranking EEs and seeing if that helped their egg production.
 
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Awwww! That sounds just like how I think mine will be in a year. They have the personalities for it- outcasts from the start, last ones in at night, first ones out. They walk right into the house if i leave the door open. Not sure if it's to come in for treats, or to get away from the rest of the flock. Very different birds, to say the least.
How old were they when you got them, or did you hatch them? (sorry I don't have time to read back right now)
 
I'm the oddball who got mine on accident, they were sold to me as rhode island reds. BYC enthusiasts identified them for me when I realized they were something else and asked what in the heck were they? They have fit so many of the stereotypes I'm sure that is what they are and the store confirmed that someone got 6 orloffs on accident and that is exactly the number I had. I sold three and lost one so only have the two, but they were always aloof, even when I tried to raise them by hand. They were among my very first chickens and I spent a lot of time trying to tame them. The rhode island reds I got at the same time are my most friendly chickens. In any event, they like you well enough but don't like being touched. They stay apart from the other birds (except now their "chicks", which are actually buff orpingtons). Before they went off to be broody together in the broody pen, they used to be picked on by the other chickens and they would even peck themselves. I thought they were actually a pretty lame breed because they did that and also kept flying out into the dog pen (that is how I lost one). But after they did such a good job with the chicks, I came to rather like them. Also, they grew back their feathers and are now gorgeous. When they returned to the flock they are no longer shy and protect the "chicks". So now you see why I've been reluctant to part them. Having the babies gave them status. I also think that the change in status is why they want to continue being moms despite the babies being grown. Don't you know some people like that?
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LOL - I have two Orloff hens and they are not odd-balls at all! Of course, the fact that they were raised as babies at the same time as my "accidental" rooster arrived didn't hurt them at all. He treats them and one other hen that he was raised with as his special girls and harrasses all of the other hens. The two Orloffs think they are little princesses and make a big deal out of trying to get me to hold the feed scoop for them to eat out. They are maybe 8 or 9 months old and I'm not sure either has laid an egg yet. I'm fond of them because of their personalities - they were handled a lot when they were young & that makes all the difference!
 

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